Mirror

Mirrcycle - impeccable - on the end of straight bars.

"Russell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Anyone got any suggestions for a mirror on a road bike?

I don't want anything too big but must be big enough to see what's going
on
behind me.

Are those ones that fit on the end of your drops any good?

Or are helmet mirrors any good? Can they be taken off easily?

Thanks
Russell

Russell said:

Anyone got any suggestions for a mirror on a road bike?

I don't want anything too big but must be big enough to see what's going on
behind me.

Viewpoint from Cycleaware (www.cycleaware.com is a rather tiny
mirror that sticks on the lense of your glasses. Works very well if you
normally wear sunglasses while riding.

I also have a Third Eye mirror that attaches to my arm of glasses.
Again good and give a bigger field of view than the Cycleaware mirror

Quoted message said:

Or are helmet mirrors any good? Can they be taken off easily?

I have used two different helmet mirrors, one was Third Eye, good but
a bit sensitive to vibration, and another whose name escapes me, which
worked very well. Both gave good rear views. However I don't wear a
helmet any more so the glasses ones are better.

I chose the helmet/glasses mounted ones so that I didn't have to have
more than one mirror when changinb from one bike to another.

I found it took about 2 weeks to really get used to using the mirror
but once accustomed to a mirror it was great.
John Kane KIngston ON Canada

"John_Kane" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Russell said:

Anyone got any suggestions for a mirror on a road bike?

I don't want anything too big but must be big enough to see what's going
on
behind me.

Viewpoint from Cycleaware (www.cycleaware.com is a rather tiny
mirror that sticks on the lense of your glasses. Works very well if you
normally wear sunglasses while riding.

I also have a Third Eye mirror that attaches to my arm of glasses.
Again good and give a bigger field of view than the Cycleaware mirror

Quoted message said:

Or are helmet mirrors any good? Can they be taken off easily?

I have used two different helmet mirrors, one was Third Eye, good but
a bit sensitive to vibration, and another whose name escapes me, which
worked very well. Both gave good rear views. However I don't wear a
helmet any more so the glasses ones are better.

I chose the helmet/glasses mounted ones so that I didn't have to have
more than one mirror when changinb from one bike to another.

I found it took about 2 weeks to really get used to using the mirror
but once accustomed to a mirror it was great.
John Kane KIngston ON Canada

I've used bar end folding mirror --didn't like them ( Topeak Bar n Mirror)

I used a helmet mounted mirror before that and now have it again -- the
simple Blackburn Helmet Mirror and with a mount on both sides of my helmet
it works both in UK and in Europe! Inexpensive and easily removed and reset.

Took a couple of days to get used to it but then it was good and I use it
automatically and I don't seem to notice it any more.

--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom

"Russell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Anyone got any suggestions for a mirror on a road bike?

I don't want anything too big but must be big enough to see what's going
on
behind me.

Are those ones that fit on the end of your drops any good?

Or are helmet mirrors any good? Can they be taken off easily?

Thanks
Russell

I have one on the drops. I'm not sure about the helmet/spectacle mounted
ones though as my near-point, when wearing normal specs, is probably too far
to use them.
Graham

Russell said:

Anyone got any suggestions for a mirror on a road bike?

I don't want anything too big but must be big enough to see what's
going on behind me.

Are those ones that fit on the end of your drops any good?

Or are helmet mirrors any good? Can they be taken off easily?

I have to thank Danny for recomending the 3rd eye Glasses Mount. I suppose
it helps if, like me you are a spectacle wearer, but I suppose shades would
work just as well. It just takes a few days to stop spending more time
looking behind and paying attention to what's going on in front of you
again. It's a novalty thing that soon wears off. you soon start looking
only when you need to (which is actualy surprisingly infreaquantly.
http://www.kinetics.org.uk/html/mirrors.shtml

--
Cheerful Pedalling
John Mallard

Russell said:

Anyone got any suggestions for a mirror on a road bike?

After trying some (including old type of Mirrcycle*: probably the best
cycle mirror), and trying hard to make them work for me, I suggest don't
bother unless you're not able to look behind.

Even if one didn't get in the way of your hands or was easy to fold out of
the way and back for parking and didn't need fiddly readjustment, a
not-too-big handlebar mirror can't give a really good view, especially if
using more than one riding position, and what view you get can give a
false sense of security.

A helmet mirror should give a better view but I don't see how they're
practical either.

* I mainly got fed up with being preocupied with trying to find the ideal
angle. Precise adjustment is critical with all mirrors.

~PB

Pete Biggs said:

After trying some (including old type of Mirrcycle*: probably the best
cycle mirror), and trying hard to make them work for me, I suggest don't
bother unless you're not able to look behind.

Quoted message said:

* I mainly got fed up with being preocupied with trying to find the ideal
angle. Precise adjustment is critical with all mirrors.

I agree that adjustment and positioning are critical, and it seems
that's not easy to deal with on a road/upright bike.

I use a small circular mirror on my recumbent, and it's invaluable.
With over seat steering the handlebar column is ideal for mounting the
mirror stalk and I get a permanent view of everything that's going on
over my right hand shoulder. I'm confident enough in traffic but
having the mirror really gives useful extra information and I love it.
Of course, it's pretty much essential on the 'bent anyway, because
glancing behind isn't at all easy.

"Bob"
--

Email address is spam trapped, to reply directly remove the beverage.

Pete Biggs said:

Russell said:

Anyone got any suggestions for a mirror on a road bike?

A helmet mirror should give a better view but I don't see how they're
practical either.

One big advantage of a helmet mounted mirror is that relatively small
movements of the head can aim the mirror as required and widen the field
of view considerably, whereas with a bar mounted mirror one has to
have the setup precisely correct or engage in tricky contortions to
adjust the view.
--
Brian G

Brian G said:

Pete Biggs said:

Russell said:

Anyone got any suggestions for a mirror on a road bike?

A helmet mirror should give a better view but I don't see how they're
practical either.

One big advantage of a helmet mounted mirror is that relatively small
movements of the head can aim the mirror as required and widen the field
of view considerably, whereas with a bar mounted mirror one has to
have the setup precisely correct or engage in tricky contortions to
adjust the view.

Of course there is one MAJOR disadvantage to a helmet mounted mirror.

Brian G said:

One big advantage of a helmet mounted mirror is that relatively small
movements of the head can aim the mirror as required and widen the
field of view considerably, whereas with a bar mounted mirror one has
to have the setup precisely correct or engage in tricky contortions to
adjust the view.

I can believe that, but how practical is it to handle your helmet, if you
know what I mean, after you've taken it off?

~PB

Paul said:

Of course there is one MAJOR disadvantage to a helmet mounted mirror.

That's the main reason /I/ don't use a helmet mounted mirror ;-)

~PB

Brian G said:

Pete Biggs said:

Russell said:

Anyone got any suggestions for a mirror on a road bike?

A helmet mirror should give a better view but I don't see how they're
practical either.

One big advantage of a helmet mounted mirror is that relatively small
movements of the head can aim the mirror as required and widen the field
of view considerably, whereas with a bar mounted mirror one has to
have the setup precisely correct or engage in tricky contortions to
adjust the view.

This is the main reason I don't advise mirrors on bikes. The time taken
in getting the body and mirror correctly aligned, overcoming any
vibration, and then for the eyes to refocus is best, IMO, spent looking
behind.
I'm pleased to see John Franklin also agrees turning the head is both
faster and gives better information than a mirror.

Recumbents differ in that the seating mirror distance is much more
'fixed' and turning one's head is difficult. For these a mirror is
pretty much an essential.

That said, on Saturday I had a trainee whose helmet (BMX style) was
mirror coated which gave a wonderful field of vision when riding behind
him :-)

tt

graham said:

I have one on the drops. I'm not sure about the helmet/spectacle mounted
ones though as my near-point, when wearing normal specs, is probably too far
to use them.

I think this may be unfounded. When you look in the mirror what you
focus on is the reflection, not the surface of the mirror. A reflected
object appears as distant in the mirror as it would if you were to look
at it directly.

You can test this for yourself when wearing your normal specs by
holding any small mirror at arm's length and focussing on a distant
object. Slowly bring the mirror towards your face while continuing to
focus on the object. You'll find that you can maintain focus as long as
the reflected object remains in your line of sight, even when the
mirror is right up to your glasses.

--
Dave...

triddletree said:

Brian G said:

Pete Biggs said:

Russell wrote:

> Anyone got any suggestions for a mirror on a road bike?

A helmet mirror should give a better view but I don't see how they're
practical either.

One big advantage of a helmet mounted mirror is that relatively small
movements of the head can aim the mirror as required and widen the
field of view considerably, whereas with a bar mounted mirror one has to
have the setup precisely correct or engage in tricky contortions to
adjust the view.

This is the main reason I don't advise mirrors on bikes. The time taken
in getting the body and mirror correctly aligned, overcoming any
vibration, and then for the eyes to refocus is best, IMO, spent looking
behind.
I'm pleased to see John Franklin also agrees turning the head is both
faster and gives better information than a mirror.

I have no doubt at all that this is correct. Unfortunately, however,
there comes a stage in life when the body is less sinuous and responsive
than it used to be and it becomes advisable to use whatever devices are
available. If I try to look behind quickly I'm liable either to crack
something or to become fixed in position ;-(
--
Brian G

Pete Biggs said:

Brian G said:

One big advantage of a helmet mounted mirror is that relatively small
movements of the head can aim the mirror as required and widen the
field of view considerably, whereas with a bar mounted mirror one has
to have the setup precisely correct or engage in tricky contortions to
adjust the view.

I can believe that, but how practical is it to handle your helmet, if you
know what I mean, after you've taken it off?

~PB

Yes, actually it can be a PITA. My mirror came with a sticky pad to
attach it to the polystyrene bunnet. That lasted only a few weeks. Now
I have the mirror attached with araldite, so it can't be described as
removable. I keep the bunnet on a shelf in the shed and periodically
stumble against the protruding mirror, causing it to be wildly out of
position next time I use it, not to mention causing the bunnet to fall
and bounce off the concrete floor. Still, I haven't been injured by it
yet :-)

--
Brian G

In article said:

Russell said:

Anyone got any suggestions for a mirror on a road bike?

After trying some (including old type of Mirrcycle*: probably the best
cycle mirror), and trying hard to make them work for me, I suggest don't
bother unless you're not able to look behind.

Even if one didn't get in the way of your hands or was easy to fold out of
the way and back for parking and didn't need fiddly readjustment, a
not-too-big handlebar mirror can't give a really good view, especially if
using more than one riding position, and what view you get can give a
false sense of security.

It's no substitute for looking around, but I find it useful for keeping
some idea of what's going on around me. The commute I used to do involved
changing lanes approaching a roundabout, with a trailer cycle.
The mirror meant I could keep an eye on traffic behind me as I crossed
the bridge to see when there might be a suitable gap, followed by looking
behind to confirm, and then signalling if I was going to move.
My current commute uses a bus lane for much of its length, and the mirror
lets me spot that there is a bus some way behind me.

"Brian G" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

triddletree said:

Brian G said:

Pete Biggs wrote:

engage in tricky contortions to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

adjust the view.

This is the main reason I don't advise mirrors on bikes. The time taken
in getting the body and mirror correctly aligned, overcoming any
vibration, and then for the eyes to refocus is best, IMO, spent looking
behind.
I'm pleased to see John Franklin also agrees turning the head is both
faster and gives better information than a mirror.

I have no doubt at all that this is correct. Unfortunately, however,
there comes a stage in life when the body is less sinuous and responsive
than it used to be and it becomes advisable to use whatever devices are
available. If I try to look behind quickly I'm liable either to crack
something or to become fixed in position ;-(
--
Brian G

I am smitten with a similar disability and I cannot look back over my right
shoulder beyond looking sideways. Over my left shoulder is still OK but I
am not an owl and that isn't much good in UK -- perhaps that is why I seem
to find European cycling less hazardous! I must say I am glad to have a rear
view mirror
--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
www.tapan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk ( under current reconstruction to bring it up
to date)

Pete Biggs said:

Russell said:

Anyone got any suggestions for a mirror on a road bike?

After trying some (including old type of Mirrcycle*: probably the best
cycle mirror), and trying hard to make them work for me, I suggest
don't bother unless you're not able to look behind.

Conversely, I have an old type Mirrcycle, and its superb. I now have the
problem of a new bike which has buried cables, so the Mirrcycle isn't an
option, and I'll be looking for a decent alternative. I've adapted to
understand what the view is in the mirror, know what its angle of view is
when in differing positions, etc.

I'm fine with looking behind (and do the full look behind stuff before any
manouever), but find that I'm missing information when I ride my "hack"
which lacks any mirrors.

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

"Nigel Cliffe" > wrote

Quoted message said:

Conversely, I have an old type Mirrcycle, and its superb. I now have the
problem of a new bike which has buried cables, so the Mirrcycle isn't an
option, and I'll be looking for a decent alternative.

I fitted a Mirrcycle to STI drop levers by drilling and tapping the
lever ( where the cable exits on a non aero lever ) and fitting a bolt
through the post of the mirror, down into the lever, and then backed up with
a ( thin ) locknut. Has worked fine for some years.
Mike Sales